A Roman headstone has been discovered in Cirencester, UK, which is believed to be the first of its kind. This particular tombstone was found above an adult skeleton, and may be the young woman that is named on the tombstone, Bodica or Bodicaca.
Neil Holbrook, of Cotswold Archaeology, explained, “The unique aspect is that you can put a name to the person who lies beneath the tombstone.”
The Latin inscription has been roughly translated by Cotswold Archaeology as:
“To the spirits of the departed/Bodicacia/faithful wife/died aged 27.”
According to Discovery News, this could date back to the second or third century, and the decorative feature on the top may be a reference to Oceanus, the god of the sea. Ed McSloy, Cotswold Archaeology’s senior finds and archives officer, added, “In a funerary context it may symbolize the long ‘watery’ voyage to the afterlife.”
Graves and tombstones have been found around Britain in the past, around 300-400 so far, but this is only the tenth from Cirencester, which was the largest Roman city in Britain after London. It is also rare to find them in cemeteries, as it was common for old tombstones to be broken up and reused for buildings throughout the medieval period.
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